Dramatic Dhaka-Chittagong Highway Robbery: Five Arrested

In a brazen and highly audacious heist on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, law enforcement authorities have successfully apprehended five individuals and recovered a substantial cache of stolen gold. The incident, which took place on 7 December in the Gajaria area of Munshiganj, sent shockwaves through the local community and prompted an immediate and coordinated response from the police.

According to Munshiganj Superintendent of Police, Mehnazul Alam, who confirmed the arrests in a press statement on Wednesday evening, the suspects include Sub-Inspector Aktaruzzaman Munsi of the Special Branch (SB) of the police, journalist Md. Ramzan of My TV, Ramzan Ali, President of the Krishak League in Ramkrishnapur Union of Harirampur, microbus driver Zakir Hossain, and Ismail Hossain, a gold trader based in Mirpur.

Police investigations revealed that on the afternoon of Sunday, 7 December, two brothers were transporting a large quantity of gold in a passenger bus from Dhaka to Chittagong. Upon reaching Gajaria, five individuals, dressed in police uniforms, intercepted the bus under the pretext of conducting a drug inspection. The assailants forcibly removed the passengers, blindfolded the brothers, and subjected them to physical assault. During the robbery, the criminals seized 145 bhori of gold, cash, mobile phones, ATM cards, and national identification documents. The victims were subsequently abandoned handcuffed at an isolated location in Kaliganj, Gazipur.

In response, the Munshiganj Detective Branch swiftly launched a high-tech investigation. On 9 December, a joint operation in Kafrul, Mirpur, and Harirampur led to the arrest of the five suspects and the recovery of 94 bhori 14 ana of gold, BDT 1.35 million in cash, the used microbus, two pairs of handcuffs, two walkie-talkies, three police uniforms, and seven mobile phones.

A formal case has been filed at Gajaria Police Station, and the arrested individuals remain in police custody. Authorities continue to search for the remaining accomplice and are intensifying efforts to recover the rest of the stolen gold.

The daring robbery has sparked widespread concern among local residents, who are now demanding enhanced security measures along the highway. Police have assured the public that stricter security protocols will be enforced to prevent such crimes in the future.